Nippon Adventure: Tokyo

Every great holiday will come to an end. I felt it when I was making my way to Tokyo. There were a lot of things that I looked forward to when in Tokyo but met some objectives before. So, the main objective for this Tokyo trip is mainly shopping and also Tokyo Sky Tree.

After checking in, I headed to Akihabara to do a quick toy hunt. Luckily I didn't had a shopping list or that I wasn't interested with what they offered. Managed to get my cousin's toy order and I almost got myself the latest Final Fantasy game but it was in Japanese language.

After Akihabara, I returned to Shinjuku to do more shopping. Instead of going around Isetan, I went the opposite direction of the train station towards Takashimaya and Tokyo Hands. Almost went crazy again at a Yoshida Porter boutique. I saw a the perfect bag in a showcase but ended not buying as the Porter logo was not prominent. 

The following day, I traveled to Tokyo Sky Tree. 3 years back, the building was only halfway built and I totally didn't realized it until I watched Japan Hour. Till then I was eager to go up. Hakimbo mentioned that there would be a long queue but I eased my way in. Ticket cost ¥2000 to the first observation deck at 350m and another ¥1000 to the second deck at 450m.

The view was magnificent as compared to Tokyo Tower. The majestic structure shadows the street down below was quite breathtaking. After circling the building, I took the opportunity to sit in the cafe and soaked in more of the view. The admission fee is quite costly but it was an experience I've been expecting.

The base of the tower is a shopping mall which I managed to get some souvenirs and mementos. They had a huge shop that sell numerous amount of souvenirs with famous anime characters. I almost had a spree but just ended with a present for a friend. 

My next stop was Asakusa which I decided to walk from the Skytree. Managed to had brunch at a Takoyaki shop and managed to find better mementos of Tokyo Sky Tree. Visited the blue bridge of Asakusa to tag my initials like I did last time and finally made my way to Sensoji Shrine.

I've been to Sensoji Shrine before but my intention there was to get my own Yukata. I had a hard time searching in other cities and got to know that it's mostly sold during summer. The shops at Sensoji Shrine sold it throughout the year and it's affordable, as low as ¥2500. I got mine at ¥3400 with the "happiness" character on it.

The last touristy itinerary was to visit a sento which I didn't managed in the other cities. I went to a private onsen at Hakone before but didn't managed to visit a public one. So I was yearning to try one. With the help of an online sento guide, I found one most accessible with an English assistance. Jakotuyu is quite modern with vending machine with English signs. There was an indoor and a rotenburo (outdoor) pool. As sento are olden culture, there were mostly senior patrons. I was one of 3 young people inside and everyone minded their own business (as we should). It wasn't an awkward experience but soaking in the bath was very rejuvenating after all the walking. I was super relieved when I got out. Do note that it's best to bring some grooming kit as you would have to wash off thoroughly before dipping the in bath. Hence all, bodily application would be gone. I went out without my moisturizer and hair wax, so I was in a mess.

I was thrilled that I completed my tourist itinerary, it was time to clear my shopping desire. First up was Omotesando where I needed my Head Porter bag(s) that I've been eyeing. I also went to Kurachika Yoshida (Main Line for Porter) and got another bag. Here I found a hand-made workshop and got to know that there were some limited pieces (1 piece made). Apparently, the one I found at the other boutique was an exclusive. Almost wanted to kill myself but truly, the bag doesn't shout Porter but the craftsmanship and functionality were spot-on.

My shopping was completed and I still have time to enjoy Tokyo so I walked my way towards the famous cross junction of Shibuya. I had the experience of both night and day craziness of the junction as I killed time at Starbucks overlooking the junction the next day.

So the day came for my last day in Japan. Spent some time in Shibuya to read and complete my scrap book and returned to the hotel to collect my 3 bags of goodies. It was easy to get to Narita from Shinjuku but it was crazy going through the crowded subway with luggage in tow.

Since the last trip was on companion pass, I didn't had much time to explore Narita airport. This time I had plenty of time to have dinner and explore the terminal. I was impressed that they had outdoor viewing gallery. The sight and sound was exhilarating for an aerospace student or it's just me. To hear how the un-muffled engine roar during start-up and taking off is quite pleasing for me too as I deal with aircraft engines.

I had a great time going all over and I still wish to return someday. I had in mind to return to Osaka and visit Nara, Kobe and Mount Koya or to Naha, Okinawa or Hokkaido.

So the next holiday on the way is Bangkok in January (experiencing travelling with kids) and a possible return to Hong Kong in April as a guide.

Check out my pictures of Tokyo.

Nippon Adventure: Osaka/Kyoto

I'm back to the once loved Osaka but Hiroshima tops the list now. Once in Osaka however, it meant that I get to shop.

I don't really have plans while in Osaka. I was procrastinating between Universal Studios Japan or Rinku Town Premium Outlet. Since I'm not a fan of theme park and more of a shopper, I decided to go to Rinku Town instead. 

Rinku Town is about an hour away from Osaka and getting there is covered by JR pass. Like all other premium outlet, Rinku houses many premium brands at up to 70% off. I was intrigued by the prices but the items does not fancy my taste. I ended getting gifts for my niece and nephew and almost gotten myself a Bally bag. However, I got crazy at the wall of Lego figurines at ¥490 each. I went ballistic and pick and mix a lot of figures from a full set of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles which was almost impossible to get in Singapore and some figures from Star Wars.

Other than the Lego figures for myself, I also started buying the Starbucks flavored Via coffee which I always asked favors from friends to get for me while they're in States. I bought a dozen of the via and continued buying more at other Starbucks store in Osaka.

On the second day of my Osaka stay, I planned a day trip to further venture Kyoto. I had limited exploration the previous trip so I decided to plan more. Kyoto is only 30mins from Osaka station by Limited express or 15mins by Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka.

First stop was my return to Fushimi Inari Shrine. I planned to complete the trail up Mt Inari as both Hakimbo and myself took a wrong turn and ended where we started. With a sore calves from Mt Misen, I still ventured up Mt Inari at a slower pace. The route is shorter and the has more lower gradient steps. I thought that was an easy climb but was disappointed once I reached the top. At the very peak of Mt Inari stood a shrine which was covered the scenery by tree canopies. 

I just snapped a selfy to note I reached the top and proceeded down to the Ice Cream parlor. I managed to find a seat overlooking the Kyoto Town. That apparently was the highlight of my trail, eating ice-cream on a breezy mountain overlooking the city.

After completing my trail, I returned to another town that I previously visited, Gion. I went to Gion to retrace my previous trail to the shopping belt of Shijo Dori which I passed by previously. There were lots of shopping mall and a Porter shopping research brought me to Head Porter Loft. I immediately went crazy as I finally get to see the physical product of what I had cataloged in my shopping list. Thinking of the baggage that I will carry to Tokyo, I only bought the smaller purchase such as an order for a friend and some cases for myself.

Other than Head Porter Loft, I went slightly ballistic for some gifts for my siblings. I managed to get some exclusive flavors at Nespresso and another shoe order from my aunt. 

The last plan to complete Kyoto was a visit to the Kyoto Tower. Like Fukuoka, I was chasing the tower stamps and of course the high scenery of Kyoto which I was displeased with the one from Mt Inari. Once satisfied, I wanted to try a sento experience at the basement of Kyoto Tower but unsurprisingly, the place was crowded. What shocked me was the queue to enter the sento. There are only a few sento in Japan that caters English assistance. Others are strictly in Japanese. Disappointed, I returned to Kyoto Station to retrieve my shopping goods, which I stored before going to Kyoto Tower, and returned to Osaka.

I was famished in Kyoto and did not managed to eat sufficiently. Once back, I headed to Dotonbori and stuffed myself crazy with the food they offered. From a meal of Okonomiyaki, to street food Takoyaki and King Crab and end it off with pudding dessert. I was full and tired, and knocked out when I returned to the hotel.

Osaka is still a nice city, less hectic than Tokyo but Hiroshima now tops my favorite list. I would still return to Osaka still due to easy access to great food and still be able to shop. I can still plan to venture to other cities which are mostly less than an hour away by Shinkansen. If I were to return to Japan, I would definitely fly into Osaka and to shop again and definitely put Kobe as a day trip.

Check out the shopping and food galore of Osaka and the trail of Kyoto. Next up, the ending city to my Nippon Adventure, Tokyo.

Nippon Adventure: Miyajima

It was highlighted by my cousin that staying in Hiroshima for a day was insufficient. Both he and his wife had a great time especially at Miyajima. That is when I realized that the floating torii gate was located. Hence, I followed my cousin's advise and stayed in Hiroshima for 2 nights with a day trip to Miyajima.

I wanted to visit the Itsukushima shrine during low and high tide. I had to wake up early to catch the first train and a connecting first ferry (fully covered by JR pass) to the island. Miyajima is about 30mins away from Hiroshima by JR train and a connecting ferry which takes 10mins to the island. The morning started to pour as I head towards Miyajima ferry terminal and it got heavier as I reach the terminal. I had to miss the first ferry as I needed to use the toilet and get some light breakfast as my other objective at Miyajima is to trail up Mt Misen.

It was still pouring heavily as I boarded the ferry and within that 10mins ride, it turned to drizzle. As I step out of the ferry terminal, I was awed by the view of the cloud covered mountains and the view of the torii gate from a far. Since it was still drizzling, I just bashed through the rain towards the floating torii gates. 

Standing at the edge of the low tide, was a majestic monument. I followed some people onto the sand and walked towards the gate. That was something I would regret not doing.

After a couple of pictures, I noticed that the drizzle was getting lighter. I walked to the rope-way hoping to go up by cable car and walk down the mountain but due to the weather, the rope-way was not operational. Hence I decided to trail up and doing the vice-versa.

The start of the trail was so beautiful with the falling of red/orange leaves together with a calming stream of river flowing down the mountain. The track was gradient until it got to steep steps. It was a 2.5km trail up to the top and I started panting at 1.5km. That was the reason for not exercising or preparing to conquer this hike. I had to stop every 100m to catch a breather as I walked through passing clouds. 

Along the way, I met with some wild deer and a couple of shrines. Once on top of Mt Misen, I was practically the only one as the shops were empty. However, there was a guard at his post at the construction of the viewing deck. I then realized that the weather condition still would not permit the operations of the rope-way hence the reason of no one at the top. I bet the guard was also waiting for his colleague to relieve his post. Since the rope-way was non-operational, i had no choice but to walk back down.

Going down was easier and I took a different route. I met some people hiking up and tried some greetings in Japanese until they returned me some questions. I did make out the question but struggle with sign language to reply. That's for not preparing my Japanese language for this trip (too stress up with school and work to study Japanese).

With only a cup of coffee and a slice of baumkuchen, I was famished as I made my way down. I was searching for food once I reached the bottom and chanced upon a souvenir food stall. I just bought a pack of 6 azuki pancake and gorged down 2 with a bottle of isotonic drink.

I returned to the main town in search of proper food and also to rest my aching leg. I was hoping to visit a sento but can't seem to find within the town and the hotels sento was not open to public. So I ended looking for a place to eat. I noticed many shops selling grilled oyster and I just walked pass as I'm not a fan of shelled fish.

When I decided to try a local coffee roaster, their menu set consist of pasta served with grilled oyster. As I was famished and that was the heaviest meal they had, I tried the local delicacy. Confirmed, not a fan of shelled fish as I just swallowed it down. At least I tried local delicacy.

Making my way to the ferry terminal, I revisited the floating gate which was now high tide. The sea covered the sand I once stood in the morning. There were more tourist now and a bunch of deers were camping around the tourist. I'm surprised that it didn't ran away as I got closer. That was the first time I got close to a wild animal and actually pat on it too. 

Miyajima has been a wonderful experience. I would recommend coming here with someone ambit not to climb Mt Misen if they're not interested (Take the rope-way instead). It have great activities lined up with great scenery. I would love to try their rotenburo (outdoor bath) looking up the mountain, if I can find one. Definite recommendation to visit if you're at Hiroshima.

So now, back to Hiroshima for some shopping. Check out more photos of Miyajima.

Nippon Adventure: Hiroshima

Hiroshima is 70mins away from Fukuoka by Sakura Shinkansen. After dropping off my bags at Hana Hostel which is just 5mins walk from Hiroshima station, I decided to walk to the nearest attraction which was Shukkeien Garden as recommended by the hostel keeper. I managed to stroll and have a snack of fresh fruit salad along the way.

Shukkeien Garden is 15mins walk from Hiroshima Station but it was closed for a private function so I continued my journey towards Hiroshima Castle. It was roughly 10mins walk from the garden. I entered the castle via the eastern entrance and walked thru the beautiful gardens. There were a couple of wedding photography held at the place and it was not as grand as the ones I encountered at Meiji Shrine few years back. They were more casual and more joyous.

A makeshift castle is located at the far north western part of the compound. It houses a museum and a lookout tower at the fifth floor where I'm able to view the surrounding are out of the castle as the castle's compound were block by trees. 

As I walked towards the southern entrance, I had to pass by a shrine which had wedding procession going on. That explains the bunch of wedding photography in the park. I got myself a custard carp pancake and sat by the bench watching some wedding procession.

I continued walking to the next nearby attraction, A-Bomb Dome about 10 mins away. It was such a solemn place and I was astound by the remaining structure that survived the bomb blast. Across the river stream was the Peace Memorial park. I noticed that I've started the attraction from the back to front and missed out some vital places in the park but I was still satisfied. The museum stands at
the entrance of the park but it was too crowded for me to enter hence I decided to leave.

By the time I completed the main attraction, it was time to check out the local shopping scene. I did realized that I have yet to have a meal so I went to a local curry house and had some shrimp katsu curry don. It was alright but it sure filled my well. Once full, it's time to check out Hondori.

Hondori is a stretch of shopping arcade similar to Shinsaibashi in Osaka but it carry lesser known brands. I got tempted to shop again but subdued to mental shopping list. I retreated early to rest for my day trip Miyajima the day after.

After I completed my Miyajima trip, I told myself that I could start shopping limitedly. I returned to Hondori after a well rested nap and went to get what I had in my mental shopping list. I was quite pleased with the shopping experience in Hiroshima. The exchange rate conversion wasn't that fantastic but I managed to get some order request by people at home. At least I cleared the orders, I can concentrate fully on my needs. 

Hiroshima is a peaceful and solemn city. It is not as robust or hectic as major city of Tokyo and Osaka but it paced perfectly fine. I had a relaxing time and managed to to rejuvenate after a hike at Mt Misen. Food and shopping are plenty and it was easy navigating around town. Hiroshima is my top favorite city for this trip and I would love to return if given the opportunity. I could still do day trips around Hiroshima and will definitely stay in Hana Hostel again due to the excellent service and room.

Do check out my day trip to Miyajima and more photos of Hiroshima. Next, I returned to my old favorite Osaka.

Nippon Adventure: Fukuoka

After all the planning and going through a hectic time at work and school, I've been waiting for the day I returned to Japan. I wanted to go places that I have not been previously and to start somewhere other than Tokyo or Osaka. So it was either flying into Japan via Sapporo or Fukuoka and ending my bag packing trip with a lustful shopping in Tokyo. There wasn't much places to visit if I were to go down from Sapporo and risk radiation exposure, hence I concluded to start my adventure from Fukuoka and make my way up to Tokyo.

I planned only a night in Fukuoka as there wasn't much attraction and I do not wish to risk going around Kyushu as language would be a barrier. I could understand simple Japanese but conversationally numbed. So it was best to stay within city limit.

There were bunch of attractions in Fukuoka which were accessible by the Green Loop bus service. The bus
however has a 30 mins frequency and the approximate time of arrival on the bus stop signage wasn't accurate. I waited a lot for the bus but it was a direct bus to all the attraction and cost only ¥700.

First stop was one of e furthest attraction on the bus route, Hawk Town which is a baseball stadium and shopping mall. My main attraction was the mall. I was once again awed by the items that Japan has to offer. I went crazy at ABC Mart and Toys R Us but subdue my shopping urges by telling myself I'm on a bag packing trip. I left the mall empty handed but with a mental shopping list.

I didn't really went into the stadium due to no interest so I moved on to the next attraction, Kyoto Tower. If an actually see the tower from the stadium and it was a walking distance but I wanted utilized the buss pass so I waited for the bus instead. Luckily it wasn't that long.

My trip will normally include a visit to an observation deck where available and Kyoto has one. I thought it was an office building with an observation deck on top but was suprised that it was mostly beams and pylon that run the whole building. I got to know while taking the glass elevator down and saw the internal structure of the building. Since Kyoto Tower is one of the feature tower of Japan, it has it's very own mascot, stamp and souvenirs. I was tempted to get the long mini baumkuchen souvenir but it was too long to bring along on a bag pack, and they were out of magnets. Hence I only managed to get a stamp of the tower.

After a long wait for the Green Bus I made my was to the Ohori Koen. It's a large park with a huge pond and 3 connecting islands. People were either running, walking their dog or just wandering around. There was a canoeing event on the water as well. The walkway around the pond has so much activities that I decided to stroll across the 3 island. It was such a peaceful stroll with lovely sceneries.

There is another attraction near Ohori Koen which is the Fukuoka Castle Ruins. There wasn't much in the area except stone pillars and foundation of the castle with no physical castle. I made my was up to the highest point where the castle stood and was mesmerized by the view. While walking down, I noticed a bunch of tour group walking with a tablet in hand and moving it around. As I walked closer, I noticed that the tablet will show the section of the castle where the tablet was pointed. That was such an amazing idea. The tour group was nice enough to share the view with me and the image showed how grand the castle was.

After settling my check-in to the hostel and wash-up, I made my way to Canal City shopping mall. It's located at the back of the hostel and has a overhead passage directly to the mall. Canal City is huge with a water feature which I thought ran directly from the river through the mall but it wasn't. He main mall was quite huge but the shops are mostly small. You can find brands such as Muji, Uniqlo, ABC Mart and such but I found the joining building better with Bershka, H&M and a lot more known brands. I had to maintain the urge to shop so I just walked out to Hakata station to change and reserve my seating for the Shinkansen to Hiroshima.

It was roughly 10mins to walk from Canal City to Hakata station and roughly 15-20mins to walk to Hana Hostel from the station. I'm amazed that there were a lot of people loitering outside the station and felt like Sundays at Orchard Road. Hopefully you get what I mean but to my surprise, they were all Japanese taking pictures of the decorated station for the upcoming Christmas.

I was glad that I only spend a day to cover Fukuoka as there wasn't much attraction unless I proceed down to Beppu for some onsen experience. Though an advise by a friend, I must understand Japanese to be able to survive in Beppu. So Fukuoka was good enough. I might not shop in Fukuoka but the prices there was slightly lower than the other cities I've been to especially for toys. Some clothes are rare to find as well as I didn't find the same design at the same brand at the other city. At least I wasn't something I regretted not buying.

More photos of Fukuoka. So next stop, Hiroshima.

Nippon Adventure: Accommodations and Transportations

I've been planning this trip way before my second semester began, hoping I won't need much distraction with the plannings. Most importantly, I wanted to do this trip independently where I'm not obligated by a secondary voice.

Even though I've been to Japan before, I planned to travel from west to east starting from Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Miyajima, Osaka, Kyoto and finally to Tokyo. I booked a direct SIA flight using my partial mileage redemption to reach Japan via Fukuoka and depart from Narita. It was quite costly but less trouble of transit or wasted traveling time if I were to fly in-out from 1 city. 

I've managed a night stay at Fukuoka, 2 nights at Hiroshima with a day trip to Miyajima, 2 nights in Osaka with a day trip to Kyoto and lastly 2 nights in Tokyo. I stayed at Hana Hostel (a sister brand to J-Hoppers which I had a pleasant stay previously at Osaka) for both Fukuoka and Hiroshima, APA Hotel Namba-Shinsaibashi for Osaka, and Hotel Wing International Shinjuku. 

Like previously, I purchased the national JR pass to travel around Japan freely. The 7-day pass can only be purchase outside of Japan and it cost around SGD340 for unlimited rides on the JR city buses, trains and Shinkansen (bullet train).

Fukuoka:

Hana Hostel Fukuoka is located 2 subway stops from Hakata Station and situated along a shopping arcade Nakasuka. It wasn't difficult searching the place but it's at the very opposite end of the arcade from the subway station. There are plenty of diners along the arcade but not Starbucks hence I had to resort to Starbucks beverages from convenient stores. There is also a superb Thai massage parlor where I had the best Thai massage ever (even outdid the original Thai massage from Thailand itself).

Since I was in Fukuoka for a day, I opt for a 8 bed mixed dormitory. Everyone was pleasant but reserved by staying in their own bunk bed with the blind down. Each bunk is huge enough for a comfortable stay with an individual dresser to store personal belongings. The atmosphere is quite cozy with the wooden interiors.

Since JR isn't the main line in Fukuoka, I delayed changing my JR pass by a day (staying for a total of 8 days). There are a couple of private line which the pass does not covers. However, I gotten the Green Loop bus service which loops around the city to major attractions. The drawback is the 30mins intervals. Most of the time, I was wasting my time waiting for the bus as the places I'm going are far apart. I did walk to some places after checking in and over-utilizing the worth of the Green Loop pass because the last few places were within walking distance.

Hiroshima/Miyajima:

I continued my stay with Hana Hostel Hiroshima for the next 2 nights. I wanted a bit more privacy so I booked a single en-suite Japanese style room which feels more likely room during my ryokan stay. The room is meant for 2-3 people stay but I had it all to myself. The hostel location is only 5mins walk from the Hiroshima station but food around the area is quite scarce.

I was blown by the coziness of both Hana Hostels where the keepers took notice of you even when the place was fully-booked. They remembered our conversations about planned itinerary and asked whether I enjoyed the places I went whenever I returned back to the hostel. Truly amazing services.

Hiroshima is another city which JR is not the prominent transportation. A local tram line operates around the city and cost only ¥150 1-way within the city limits. The main attractions are all within walking distance hence a tram ride was sufficient. I did walk to every location on the first day and uses the tram by the second day.

My second day in Hiroshima was a day trip to Miyajima. This is when I utilized my JR pass for the train and ferry ride. It's only 40 mins away from Hiroshima.

Osaka/Kyoto:

I wanted to further my stay with Hana Hostel which is conveniently located within Namba but I managed to find a business hotel APA Hotel which is at a similar price of SGD60. The hotel provides better amenities and is just a few minutes walk to Shinsaibashi/Dotonbori for a quick shopping/eateries. 

Osaka has a few JR lines connecting to many locations however getting to Namba requires a transit. I had to use the private subway line for a direct route to Shin-Osaka whenever I have my luggage on. Getting to Kansai Airport or Rinku premium outlet is also covered by the JR pass. Same goes for traveling to Kobe and Kyoto which is an hour away by public train and roughly 20mins by express.

Kyoto has a scarce JR line but plenty of other private lines. Getting around Kyoto is still easy.

Tokyo:

Back in 2010, I stayed in a Khaosan Hostel at Asakusa which was quite inaccessible. Many of the hostels in Tokyo are quite inaccessible as well hence I decided to stay in a hotel instead especially one that is easily accessible by JR line and to Narita Express. After much research, I booked Hotel Wing International Shinjuku which is less than 10mins walk from JR Shinjuku. 

However, I had a bad experience in this hotel. Firstly, it's situated within Shinjuku red light district which is quite sleazy. I got touted for sex. The hotel also had a centralized heating system which unable guest to set the temperature in the room. It's either the heater is on or off. I requested some assistance to keep the room ventilated and the staff provided me with a fan. Apparently, I wasn't the only one with the fan as I saw some guest on the same floor who opened their room to allow the alleyway air conditioning into the room.

Getting around Tokyo was easy as JR line runs throughout many parts of the city. Some attractions are within walking distance or a transfer to a private line. There many JR station and the main stations such as Shibuya and Shinjuku are quite huge. Eventhough I commute to Shinjuku daily, I ended up towards different exit every single time due to the human traffic flow and the vastness of the station.

Generally, this solo adventure was more laid back eventhough I planned a lot. Accomadations weren't a letdown except for Tokyo and moving about was easy. I however would preferably return to Osaka than Tokyo as it is less congested. I can also revisit Kyoto and Hiroshima and can even venture to Kobe and Nara. Maybe I could plan a summer in Japan soon. 

Next few entries would be my adventures around Japan. Stay tuned.

Missing

It has been far too long since my last post which was my Bali Ignorance day entry back in late April. Nothing special happened after that period. 

Basically, I was involved in my exams after the trip, followed by non-stop of work. My school results weren't as bad as I expected so I headed on to a full 4 modules a semester. Boy, I foreseen the expected coming. I struggled with school and work from then on. There were a couple of group assignments and I was amazed that I managed to find good team members. 

Work was also quite tedious as I got promoted from planning assistant to supervisor. There was a hike in responsibilities which I struggled to juggle with school. That period wasn't the best time for me but I managed to set things to a better motion as time went by.

Another exam came and I was too delighted for what came next, my trip to Japan. No matter how sucky life gets, there are always something great to look forward to. It may or may not be relevant to the situation but it somehow eases the tension. 

Oh, did I say that I'm seeing someone? That'll be another story for another day then.

Ignorance Trip: Bali (25-28 April)

Wow! It has been 3 months since my last entry. I've been tied up with school which started great and slowly progresses to my death.  I had to plan for a trip during my study period and at a great timing too, it falls on my birthday week. Due to leave shortage (all thanks to my trip to Beijing and a planned winter trip), I had to keep it short. 

Initially planned for a destination for summer retreat, a friend can't make firm confirmation hence I had to proceed without him to Bali. I wasn't fond of Bali because it was quite mainstream (people hated me for that) but since I planned my ritual solo birthday trip, I swallowed my pride and just went. Apparently, my buddy who wasn't fond of Bali too decided to crash. There were tons of argument between us about crashing my "Ignorance Trip" but great buddies still agreed to share.

From an initial plan of luxurious trip flying by SIA and a villa stay, I had to scrap all luxurious plans to flying by Jetstar and staying in a 4 Star hotel just to save some cash for the 2 of us. It wasn't a waste as it was sufficient, so I had to admit having my buddy is cheaper.

Grand Mega Resort and Spa is 10 mins away from the airport and 5 mins away from Kuta beach but the massive traffic jam delays up to an hour and 30 mins journey respectively. The hotel is inexpensive with great facilities such as a sufficient sized pool for laps, gym and most importantly spa. The deluxe room is spacious with an open bathroom and a tub with a television. The spa retreat was quite inexpensive too but the masseuse was fantastic. An advise, don't do your spa with a friend in the same room as the masseuse tend to chat with each other which is quite distracting for your moment of tranquillity. 

Grand Mega is situated across the DFS Galleria and adjacent to several outlet stores. Since there wasn't any itinerary planned for day 1, we wandered around the hotel vicinity and ended shopping for some beach wear. 

We have a friend who established a warong (food stall) in Bali and decides to look for her. We got lost searching her warong on day one, all thanks to the direction provided by the map app but we managed to get to her shop the day after. It was a simple establishment and we were happy for her venture.

We decides to check the much boast about Kuta beach. It was a long stretch of coastline with huge waves and surfers waiting for the right waves. Well, that's practically all there is. I don't really understand the rave about it. Nearby, are the hotels, shops, bars and diners that I still can't rave about? There isn't much to shop except for beach/surf wears and the diners are mostly the common one you'll see back home.

Since I planned a solo retreat, I requested an alone time for my birthday. I've been labelled the most boring person who actually planned to do nothing but read overseas. To me, a holiday wouldn't be great if we do not plan sometime of peace (besides our spa time). I did managed to complete my book at Starbucks overlooking Kuta.

Hakimbo made reservations for a tour around Bali the following day, recommended by our dear friends to approach Dewa. His services is to be commended for cheap offering even if they don't cover entrance charges. Dewa picks us up from our hotel and drove us for some water activities. Totally forgotten about the water activity part, we weren't dressed proper so we decides for a dry activity, para-sailing which we went twice. 

As the package itineraries were mostly situated at the southern side of Bali, there were some itineraries that didn't interest us. Dewa however was pleased to change for us and we had to trouble him to bring us to Tanah Lot instead, which is further north. He had to bring us there first as the kecak dance started later in the day. We had to battle through traffic back and forth but the view at Tanah Lot was spectacular. 

Again bashing through the traffic, we made our way back south-side to catch the Kecak dance. It is something interesting, vaguely familiar to dikir barat but consist of a folklore character impersonation. At times, the performance was eerie, at times hilarious but overall interesting (can't think of a word to best describe it). Besides the performance, the view from of Uluwatu is gorgeous and serene.

Since I told Hakimbo to promise no surprises on my birthday, he did it the day after by bringing me to Bubba Gump where he gotten the staffs to celebrate my birthday. I was about to go to the toilet when they came in to perform their very own kecak performance. Apparently, that wasn't the only surprise. As I had to go to the toilet badly to take a dump, I heard banging and drumming outside the toilet. I thought that another person was celebrating their birthday too and lucky mine wasn't that rowdy. To my surprise, they were actually waiting for me while I'm in the toilet. Typical diners celebration where they got you up and sing some lame songs. I blared at Hakimbo for the second surprise but he too had no idea they would do it.

As much as I wanted to have a solo getaway, I did had a great time with my best bud as my company. We managed to conquer another place together. I may not have enjoyed Bali that much but with a great company, the trip may always be something to be remembered for. Thanks Hakimbo. Till our next adventure (but not this winter trip. I really need a solo trip for 2013).

Oriental Adventure Day 4 & 5

It's 2013 and some of the group will be leaving. The first itinerary was Summer Palace since it was closed the day before. The palace was huge, even bigger than the Forbidden City. It had a lake in the middle with an island in the middle of it.

Since it was winter, the lake was frozen and walking across was possible but not advisable. I wanted to do it but wasn't allowed too.The Summer Palace is like any other palace that I've been to but the it would be beautiful during summer or spring.

The well known long corridor is here too but we were only walking till the first pavilion. It actually stretches along the lake and it is huge. It is yet another cold day but we were then accustomed to the cold. We played around in the weather including the American kids. Hakimbo made a good friend with one of them. Truly a rare moment.

We were then brought to lunch where we said goodbye to the American family and another due to their afternoon flight. We departed and continued to Qianmen where we were taught on Feng Sui and how Beijing was arranged to it. They had miniatures Feng Sui items on sale but this was the only time throughout the whole trip that they didn't bother selling. To them, if you don't believe in Feng Sui, it's hard for the element to work.

Once our lesson on Feng Sui was over, we crossed the street to another shopping street. This was another long stretch of shopping that I don't mind but there wasn't anything that interest me. Even the cheap alley ways does not enticed me. We ended up at Starbucks again.

By this time, our group of 12 Indonesian were ungratefully tired and wanted to just stay in the bus. They were one rowdy family and half of them were kids. They were so annoying!!! They would be running around and even trying to outspoke the guide explanation of the tour. They had a dispute with the guide in the morning and the remaining of the group didn't care as they didn't care about the others.

Our next location was the Temple of Heaven not far from Qianmen street. There were only 4 of us in the group as the other had gone and just awaiting for their flight, and the ignorant Indonesian family of course. Our guide had a breeze bringing the 4 of us into the temple. The temple is a nice scenic temple and the sun was shining brightly. I managed to capture some great shots but didn't really bother wandering around the temple.

Dinner was early and we said goodbye to another family. This time we returned to the hotel early and I finally managed to make a spa appointment. After a long tour, a good message was terrific (the "free" foot massage didn't count). I was rejuvenated to conquer the last day.

We woke up later than normal and the Indonesian family were the first to go due to their morning flight. They wasted a day of tour. We finally had a peaceful journey to the Beijing Cultural Museum.

Wandering around the museum for 2 hours and I realized that every exhibit is similar. Every relic are Chinese influence and really similar to each other. The building however was vast and unique from the inside and plain blocky from the outside though there were too much space wasted. Maybe, it's just me where Singapore is just space restricted.

Since it's just 4 of us, the other itinerary is another shopping and bar street. We told the guide to detour to Wangfujing where we can spent our time fruitfully as we didn't the other day. We managed to go into another shopping center in Wangfujing that houses many great brands but the prices are costlier than Singapore.

Wangfujing was the last of our tour and it marks the end. We collected our luggage and proceeded to the airport. While waiting to check in, we realized that we didn't spent much. I still had spare from my SGD200 conversion and was shocked. I've only swiped once for souvenirs.

However right after checking in, we went wild. We managed to find items that we've been looking for like my sister's hard to find Longchamp bag, some wedding presents that Hakim needed and my SINs needlist, Bally's keypouch selling cheap after conversion and discount. So much for not shopping during this trip.

The flight home was better than the incoming flight. The aircraft was newer with better seating and personalized entertainment console. I reached Singapore fresher.

In all, I truly enjoyed my Oriental Adventure and truly grateful to have gone with Hakimbo. Another destination conquered and it was my first experience of -16 deg weather and even snow. I could have regretted going alone without tour. That'll definitely be an adventure.

Till the next trip, whenever I can slot from my hectic work-school year.

Oriental Adventure, Day 3

Again, we were up early for day 3 and again we were brought to another useless factory, silk. I wouldn't mind if they have things that I could give as souvenirs but who would need an extremely overpriced bedsheet. Not satisfied that we didn't buy anything, our guide 'locked" us in and will only leave when we bought enough to cover the loss for not spending the day before. That causes everyone to explode and had a major complaint from Hakimbo and the American family. We wasted 2 hours in the factory till we managed to get out. The guide wasn't really pleased but we didn't care. It was not stated in the itinerary that we need to spent for the tour.

The next tour was actually the Summer Palace but it was closed due to preparation for the New Year. We had a change of itinerary and was brought to another factory, Pearl and Jadeite. This time, there was a disclaimer that we may not need to purchase as the prices were exuberant. Somehow, some of the group managed to purchase something.

Lunch was at the Olympic stadium and it was the one and only halal restaurant that we were brought to where they served Thai menu. However, they still served it as a Chinese infused dishes. Right after lunch was another optional tour to view the pandas. Again we opted out as we can just view them in the new attraction at Singapore Zoo. So we just sat in the bus as there wasn't any place to go out to and the time required was short.

Still yearning for that spa treatment, our guide brought us to the Traditional Chinese Medicine Institute for a free foot message by TCM students. There was also health screening but like I said in the previous post, there is no free lunch in China. After the screening, the doctors recommended traditional prescription but the prices were ridiculous. They can go up to SGD 200 for some prescription. My last visit to a TCM in Singapore (yup, I've been to one) only quoted me 1/4 of the price but I rejected due to an advise by my personal doctor.

Next, is yet another shopping venue but in a shopping center, Silk Street. Thought that it'll be great? Not really. It's very much like KL Petaling Street but in a mall version where they sell knock-off at yet another ridiculous prices. I found a collectors toyshop and was amazed that they managed to copy Neca Assassin's Creed and I was tempted to get it but didn't. I remembered that I'm trying to stop toys as much as I can. We were given 2 hours at Silk Street but we completed the mall within 45 minutes inclusive of a coffee break. We ventured out across the street and found nothing as the area was a business district but our savior was Starbucks.

The only worthy picture for the day.

After the group gathered, we were brought to a shopping district call The Place to see the second largest Skyscreen in the world. I was like what??? The shopping center was way better than Silk Street and I could actually shop for something there but we're being brought here to just see these huge screen in the sky for about 10 mins because the bus is not allowed to park more than that. Seriously?

Dinner was next and they were serving Peking Duck. We were scheduled earlier but we were late so the duck cutting demonstration did not happened and the duck were served sliced. By now, I've grown tired of Chinese food but I've managed any western food along the way such as Mcdonalds and Starbucks.

The last optional tour is the CBD light-up that cost SGD 10. We were tired and didn't mind the SGD 10 but after completing the 15 mins tour, we found it an unworthy tour. Yet another money making scheme but I would rather stay in the bus then waiting in the cold for them to pick us up.

Yet another late arrival in the hotel and no chance for the spa however we did managed to stay up till 00:00 to usher in the new year. We were hoping to see fireworks or someone playing firecrackers. Well, someone did play with fireworks right below the hotel but it was only at 11.15pm. We had no idea what was that occasion for. Once 2013 struck, we only managed to see 2 fireworks miles away and remembering that our hotel was in the outskirts.

We happy 2013 and *snore*.

Oriental Adventure, Day 2

After a good night and preparation for the weather, we are ready for day 2 itinerary - The Great Wall of China. We've prepared for the worst weather by preparing additional thermal wear in our bags. Apparently, we got out slightly earlier so our guide brought us to a Jade factory which was along the way. Of course the cost of jade isn't cheap, everyone left empty-handed.

Next up, the Great Wall of China. Unknowingly, a bucket list of mine is to a least visit one of the 7 wonders of the world (the replicas in Shenzhen does not count). I did wanted to visit Beijing on my own but I'm grateful that I went with Hakimbo. I may understand Mandarin but I just can't get the words out of my mouth.

The steep section of the Juyongguan
Great Wall

There are many spots to the visit the Great Wall and we were brought to the Juyongguan section. There are 2 section of the great wall climb, a steep climb to the left and a gradual climb on the right. As we're the gung-ho type, we proceeded to steep section. The stairs were very narrow and high with snow formation on the sides. Going up can be quite a challenge.

We managed to proceed up to the first watch tower and the next watch tower was quite far with a more gradual climb. Due to time constrain, we just stayed at the first tower and enjoyed the view and weather. Thank god, we were able to withstand the weather due to our thermal clothing. The cold weather and the climb however made up slightly asthmatic due to the thin air. Both of us were gagging for breath.

We also made close friends with an American family living in Singapore. We were amazed that their 2 kids (aged 3 and 6 were able to climb the steep steps). We stayed together and helped them on our way down.

After the Great Wall, we returned back to the Jade Factory for Lunch and then proceeding to another factory - Medicine. I'm really puzzled why they brought us to all this places where we didn't find a need for it. Sure everything is made in China. They should bring us to factories that made the branded goods like shoes, clothes etc. They are more practical.

After which we were brought to another shopping location but luckily it's more consumer basis at Wangfujing Street. It's a long stretch of shopping district similar to Orchard with many great brands. Given only 2 hours, we only managed to skim through the malls and came out empty handed. While walking on the streets, 2 girls just came up to us and had a conversation. Hiding our freaked-out faces, we told them we were in a rush when they invited us to sit for coffee. Then on, we had our suspicions - there are no free-lunch in China. We managed to break loose and continued wandering around.

There is a food alley that I've read that sells all the weird stuffs. We did planned to try some but after looking at it, we kind of gag. The PRC eats anything that moves from scorpions, locust, starfish (have not seen it move in real life), dog meat etc. There are other good food available but I really wonder why they resort to such bizarre things.

The same alley also consist of souvenirs and the owners really wish to rip money off you. They would quote very high prices and you can bargain up to 75% off the initial price (if you're good at it). Some would even pull you aside to sell you items. That was truly insane and thank God I was mistaken for a Chinese (OK, not sure whether that was a good thing).

Next is dinner at one of the restaurants in Wangfujing before moving on to an optional tour of Martial Arts performance. We didn't really fancy the show so we opted out and waited at a cafe nearby making friends to another group from our tour.

Again, we returned to the hotel late and wasn't able to go for the spa. So we just sleep in and was satisfied in conquering the main attractions of Beijing.

Oriental Adventure, Day 1

This might be crazy to some but what do I care. It's known as managing your time and planning effectively. From my previous post, I just came back from my Christmas holiday in Hong Kong but I'm going away again for New Year in Beijing. It was planned in a way that I'll be able to go with my god-brother before we start our hectic schedule in 2013. Plus, it's the first time that both of us went on an all-out tour package all thanks to the cheap offer by Groupon. Our total trip cost us about 50% of actual price inclusive of taxes. The package includes flight via Air China (SIA was fully booked), 5 star hotel stay, major attractions and meals. It was a good deal and I can finally cross out Beijing out from my trip list.

At first I thought that flying with Air China was mistake and my flight out of Singapore was excruciating, the worst flight by far. I was uncomfortable for the whole flight and there wasn't an individual entertainment console. I was suffering for that overnight flight. Thank god the returning flight was better with more comfortable seats and individual entertainment console.

Upon arrival to China, we weren't able to get a local data SIM card so we had to rely on tapping into wifi spots. Apparently, China blocked a handful of site such as Facebook, Twitter and Blogspot. We were totally lost especially Hakimbo. We're weren't able to check-in except on Foursquare. No lost for me except I can get my dose of Running Man whenever I'm bored.

Since our flight is an overnight flight arriving Beijing in the morning, we met our guide and she brought us out straight into the tour. Were we prepared for that? Yes but not the weather. Sure it's winter at minus 14 degrees on our arrival, it felt colder than expected. Waiting for our tour bus outside wasn't bad until we reached our first destination. I was covered in 3 layers but it didn't help. I was freezing from face to ears to toes to fingers.

The first tour for the day was riding along the Hutong (old alleyways) on a rickshaw. Our cyclist was kind enough to cover us with a warm blanket (thank god, I was freezing by then). They brought the group to a house deep within the alleyway where we'll have lunch. After lunch was the next torturous attraction.

The guide brought us to the well known Tienanmen Square and the Forbidden City. Yes ah! I finally get to be there and got to see the huge Mao Zedong portrait. But Tienanmen Square was so bare that cold wind were gushing at every angle. Hakimbo mentioned watching people battling in the cold wind where they hunch forward to proceed. We didn't expect to be doing that but we did. Luckily there were peddlers selling winter wear and I got hold of muffs and extra gloves to keep myself warm but it help only a little. I had to fool around to keep myself warm.

From Tienanmen Square, we crossed over to the Forbidden City. I remember from my Korean trip that it's no different than Gwangbukgong Palace in Seoul and it sure was. It almost felt similar as Gwangbukgong but I was still astonished as I'm typically there. We had a little kids in the tour group and they too were suffering from the cold. We had a anonymous vote to rush to complete the tour and get on the bus. I didn't fell a lost as it truly was quite repetitive for the buildings in Forbidden City.

We were brought to a tea house for tea demonstration where we learn the ancient Chinese way of drinking tea. You might just hook up with the tea demonstrator by holding the cup wrongly. After dinner, we were brought to explore the 2008 Olympic venue, the Bird Nest and Watercube which is mostly a stadium and the swimming pool. We weren't allowed in so we just took pictures outside.

After which, our first day tour ended and the guide brought us to check into the hotel. We stayed in Ramada Beijing North Resort which was too secluded without any shops nearby for unknown night snacks.The hotel resort was great and comfortable but our room were away from the main router of the hotel so we did not have WiFi connection in our room. There is a Spa too but we seemed to return late and the spa closes early. For day 1, we didn't need any extra source of relaxation as we were up the whole day from our flight. After washing up, we crashed for the night at 8pm. It was also to prepare for the next day trip to the Great Wall of China.